What Can Spy Satellites Do

Optical image reconnaissance satellites use a charge coupled device ccd to gather images that make up a digital photograph for transmission back to earth from an altitude of about 200 miles.

What can spy satellites do.

You can think of a kh satellite as a gigantic orbiting digital camera with an incredibly huge lens on it. Spy satellite in orbit. Explorer 1 was launched by us in 1958. The goes geostationary satellites are about 23 000 statute miles above the equator and would require a telescope to see.

Space is a battleground for dominance among major powers. A reconnaissance satellite or intelligence satellite commonly although unofficially referred to as a spy satellite is an earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. It can t be a coincidence. Spy satellites are a special type of artificial satellites intended primarily for espionage purposes.

Corona midas samos the u s. A united launch alliance delta iv heavy rocket carrying the nrol 44 spy satellites stands atop pad 37 of the cape canaveral air force station florida ahead of a planned launch on sept. Spy satellite can given clear skies and a good viewing angle probably read a license plate from space. About a fifth of all satellites belongs to the military and are used for spying.

Science modern spy satellites in an age of space wars. Began developing spy satellites in the mid 1950s years before it had a rocket capable of placing anything in orbit. Since the satellites are in orbit they cannot hover over a given area or provide real time video. If you have a good viewing location away from large cities where the milky way would be visible for instance you can try to spot the noaa satellites.

A russian satellite made a series of maneuvers in late january to get closer to a u s. But there are other kind of orbits which are much more useful for spy satellites like the molniya orbit an elliptic orbit that spy satellites can take to keep the northern hemisphere in view 22. Spy satellites were used for spying since the 1970s.